Thacher State Park is situated along the Helderberg Escarpment, one of the richest fossil-bearing formations in the world. Even as it safeguards six miles of limestone cliff-face, rock-strewn slopes, woodland and open fields, the park provides a marvelous panorama of the Hudson-Mohawk Valleys and the Adirondack and Green Mountains. The park has volleyball courts, playgrounds, ball fields and numerous picnic areas with nine reservable shelters. Interpretive programs are offered year-round, including guided tours of the famous Indian Ladder Trail. There are over 25 additional miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, winter cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. Learn more, watch WMHT's documentary: 'The Great Ledge: Exploring Thacher'

The Visitor Center located at Thacher State Park has geological and historical exhibits showcasing the Helderberg Escarpment and its' importance on the region. The visitor center has activities for children and adults alike, along with two rentable spaces. There is a conference room for groups under 25, and the Helderberg Room which offers stunning views and a premiere space for weddings and larger celebrations or gatherings.

Camping is available at this park at Thompson's Lake Campground, which features 140 campsites with options of private wooded sites and open, adjacent sites. Sites can accommodate tents or RVs and are all close to restroom and shower facilities. Take the virtual tour!

Wild Play Adventure Course: This new adventure course offers 15 zip lines, 60 aerial games, and a 40 ft jump. Open May 11th through October 28th. For hours and pricing visit www.wildplay.com/thacher/ or call: 1-800-668-7771

Household pets only; caged or on a leash not more than 6 feet, rabies vaccination and proof of same required. Not permitted in buildings or bathing areas.

Hours of Operation

Nature Center: Tuesdays - Sundays, 9am-5pm, year round.Visitor Center: 9am-5pm (During the months of November through March, the visitor center will close at 4:30pm)Interpretive Programs: Year-round. Call for details.

Day Use/Picnicking/Hiking/Nature: Available year round.The Indian Ladder Trail is open 5/1-11/15, weather permitting. All other trails are open year round.

Picnic Shelters: May - October. Some available year round. Advance reservations available by contacting Park Office.

Skiing, Snowmobiling and Mountain Biking: Available on designated trails only.

The park is open year round, 7am until sunset.

Fees & Rates

Most New York State Parks charge a vehicle use fee to enter the facility. Fees vary by location and season. A list of entry fees and other park use fees is available below. For fees not listed or to verify information, please contact the park directly.

The easy-to-use Empire Pass card is $80- and your key to all-season enjoyment with unlimited day-use entry at most facilities operated by State Parks and the State Dept. of Environmental Conservation including forests, beaches, trails and more. Purchase online or contact your favorite park for more information.
Learn more about our Admission Programs including the Empire Pass.

The park is a migration corridor for hawks and a Fall Hawk Watch is set up at the park overlook every year during the mid-September peak period. On a good day, hundreds of hawks can be seen passing overhead.

On the first warm rainy nights in spring, usually late March/early April here, volunteers gather to help salamanders cross the road on their journey to breed in vernal ponds.

The honeybees in the observation hive at the Nature Center are busy: the queen is laying eggs, and the workers are raising larva and gathering nectar and pollen.

Ripe nuts from our native trees are an important source of winter food stores for wildlife. On the Helderberg Escarpment, the most abundant nut trees are oak, hickory, and beech. Acorns are especially important winter food for deer, squirrels, and chipmunks.

With an elevation of over 1100 feet, the Helderbergs average 8 degrees colder than the valley and receive much more snow in the winter. Thacher Park is a favorite destination for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The ground may be bare in Albany when there is deep snow in the park.

Thacher's Nature Center was voted into the "Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Capital Region" by Kids Out and About.

A: Please stay on the trail! The slopes can be dangerous with loose rocks and slippery mud. Climbing up the steep banks destroys vegetation and creates erosion problems. Many of the mosses take decades to establish and minutes to destroy. The trail is narrow and the steep slopes are difficult to stabilize. Please stay on the trail to preserve this fragile environment.

Q: Where can we go to see fossils?

A: Much of the rock in the park is limestone and contains fossils of shelled marine animals. They are easiest to find on rocks in streambeds, in the stone wall at the Overlook, and in bare rock exposed along the Cliff Top Trail. Enjoy hunting for fossils, but please remember that collecting is prohibited in state parks.

Q: When and where can we see waterfalls in the park?

A: There are two waterfalls that cascade over the Indian Ladder Trail, one at Hop Field, and at Paint Mine picnic areas. Early spring is best, and after heavy rains in summer and fall. During much the summer, the waterfalls can be completely dry.

Did You Know?

- DID YOU KNOW? In the late 1800s, the Helderbergs became a popular tourist destination and city dwellers hired buggies to bring them up to the resort hotels near the Helderberg Lakes.

- CHECK IT OUT! On a hot summer day, the narrow cave along the Indian Ladder Trail's cliff wall provides cool relief.

- DID YOU KNOW? The Indian Ladder Trail got its name from the felled trees that Native Americans used to climb over the Helderberg Escarpment on their journey between the western hills of the Schoharie Valley and the Hudson River Valley.

"Cliffs Higher Than the Palisades" was just one of the superlatives used to describe John Boyd Thacher State Park after its acquisition in 1914. Learn more about the history of Thacher State Park.

Key BCA Criteria:

- Migratory concentration site

- Diverse species concentration site

- Species at risk site

The John Boyd Thacher/Thompson's Lake BCA consists of portions of two nearly contiguous State Parks in Albany County. John Boyd Thacher sits atop the Helderberg escarpment, a 100 foot high calcareous cliff. The BCA is especially important because its diverse habitats support a wide variety of birds of prey. Thacher is dominated by forested uplands. The Thompson's Lake area consists of additional upland forest, old fields and a bur oak-black ash swamp adjacent to the lake. The lake itself is not owned by OPRHP.

There are 171 species of birds that have been identified within the J.B. Thacher and Thompson's Lake BCA, of which 102 are confirmed or probable breeders, including: Sharp-shinned hawk (Special Concern), Cooper's Hawk (Special Concern), Northern Goshawk (Special Concern) and Golden-winged Warbler (Special Concern). The forests support some of the area's highest densities of breeding songbirds such as Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Canada and Worm-eating Warblers and Louisiana and Northern Waterthrushes. J. B. Thacher supported the first recent regional nesting of Common Ravens and is now the nucleus for the population in the area.

All persons hunting within the boundaries of the permitted hunting area of Thacher State Park must have a valid NYS hunting license, archery license, muzzle loading license and/or turkey permit as required by Environmental Conservation Law. A special permit, issued by Thacher State Park, is also required. Permits can be obtained at the park office at no charge.

Rifles of any caliber or handgun of any type is strictly prohibited. Muzzle loader or shotgun only. Bow hunting in designated areas. With the exception that all hunting ends on March 31st of each year, the hunting schedule follows the hunting season as outlined by New York State DEC for NYSDEC wildlife management unit (WMU) 4H; this is considered the "Southern Zone." All NYSDEC regulations and provisions pertaining to WMU 4H apply. Hunting within 500 feet of any building or road is strictly prohibited. No structures of any kind. Tree stands must be climber style or lock on. All tree stands must be removed daily.

Hunters must display the park issued parking registration form on the dashboard whenever parked in one of the designated hunting parking areas. Hunters must carry the park issued hunting permit on their person at all times when hunting in the park. The permit must be displayed upon request to any park employee or officer.

Hunting permits include a report; the report must be completed and returned to the park office by March 31st.

Explore the fluid nature of watercolor paints! Using watercolor paints and everyday household items we will experiment with colors and textures to create fun, vibrant pieces. Make a set of technique cards to take home and then work on your own nature-inspired watercolor painting. This program is appropriate for kids ages 6 and up. Materials fee is $5 per person. Please call 518-872-0800 to register.

Join artist and teacher Noreen Powell for a relaxed, guided painting workshop. Think ‘spring’ as you paint lively pink blossoms along graceful tree branches! Participants will go home with a completed acrylic painting. This program is appropriate for adults and children ages 12 and up. Materials fee is $10 per person. Please call 518-872-0800 to register and for more information.

Take in the views from the cliff edge on this early spring walk. We’ll take the Long Path out to Hailes Cave and walk the escarpment trail back, stopping to take in a cliff top perspective of the Indian Ladder Trail and the rushing waters of Outlet and Mine Lot Falls. Walk is about 1.5 miles in length and is over fairly level terrain. Trail may be muddy in some places, and weather could be damp, so dress for conditions. Call 518-872-0800 to register.

The limestone in Thacher Park was formed about 400 million years ago! See how these rocks have dissolved over time and explore interesting features like sinkholes, caves, and springs. Learn about the basic chemistry behind why these features exist and how the geology of the park has influenced the landscape. Wear sturdy shoes and meet at the Visitor Center. Walk lasts about 1.5 hours. Call 518-872-0800 to register.

Meet some wild neighbors up close and personal and learn about where and how they live. Wildlife rehabilitator Kelly Martin will introduce some of the birds of prey and other animals in her care. Learn what to do if you find an abandoned or injured animal and how to help prevent wildlife emergencies. Please bring a donation to support Kelly’s work. Call 518-872-0800 for more information.